Ray Smith

Biography

A 19-year coaching veteran who has been a defensive secondary coach since 2006, Ray Smith was named Ball State's defensive pass game coordinator and cornerbacks coach in December of 2024. Smith returns to the Mid-American Conference where he was a first-team All-MAC defensive back with Northern Illinois. He also returns to his home state of Indiana where he received his first Division I coaching position. Most recently, Smith spent the 2024 season at Kennesaw State, following seven years at Southeast Missouri (SEMO). As the cornerbacks coach at Kennesaw, he helped the Owls transition into the FBS ranks, joining Conference USA in July 2024 and shocking Top 25-ranked Liberty for the program's first FBS victory. He developed a pair of all-conference corners in JeRico Washington Jr., and Tyler Hallum. While at SEMO, Smith served as the cornerbacks coach from 2017-23 and spent the final three seasons as the Redhawks’ defensive pass game coordinator. In 2022, SEMO used 10 different players including All-American Lawrence Johnson, to tally 11 interceptions. In 2020, Smith's pass defense ranked second in the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) and eighth in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) with 10 interceptions. In 2018, his second year at SEMO, the Redhawks’ defense led the nation in three different categories: turnover margin, turnovers gained and interceptions. Prior to SEMO, Smith spent 2015 and 2016 as the defensive backs coach and special teams coordinator at Division II So

Career Path